Nikki Cross
Nicola Lee Glencross (born April 21, 1989) is a Scottish professional wrestler currently signed to WWE under the ring name Nikki Cross performing on the SmackDown brand. Early life Glencross was born and raised in Glasgow Scotland, and graduated from the University of Glasgow with a Bachelor of Arts in history. She is also a qualified fitness instructor and personal trainer. Professional wrestling career WWE (2016–present) NXT (2016–2018) Glencross received a tryout with WWE in London during the autumn of 2015, and in April 2016, she was one of ten signees that had begun training at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. She debuted for NXT on 22 April, during a live event. During a Facebook live video in August, she was introduced as Nikki Cross. She made her first televised appearance and in–ring debut on August 17, 2016 episode of NXT under the name Nikki Glencross, where she competed in a six-woman tag team match along with Carmella, and Liv Morgan, defeating Daria Berenato, Mandy Rose, and Alexa Bliss. On October 12, 2016 episode of NXT, Cross returned as part of the debuting heel stable, Sanity, along with Alexander Wolfe, Eric Young, and Sawyer Fulton (who was later replaced by Killian Dain). She and Young accompanied Fulton and Wolfe for their winning effort against Bobby Roode and Tye Dillinger in the first round of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. One week later, Cross scored her first televised singles victory over Danielle Kamela, however, the decision was reversed when Cross continued to attack Kamela after the match. On the January 11, 2017 episode of NXT, Cross came to the aid of NXT Women's Champion Asuka, who was being attacked by Peyton Royce and Billie Kay, before turning on Asuka and attacking her as well. As a result, Cross, Royce and Kay were placed in a four-way match at the NXT TakeOver: San Antonio event on 28 January, which Cross failed to win. In May, Cross participated in a number one contender's battle royal for Asuka's NXT Women's Championship, where she, Ruby Riot, and Ember Moon were attacked by Asuka for being the last competitors left in the match and as a result, all four of them were placed into a four way championship match at NXT TakeOver: Chicago, which was later changed to a three–way match after Ember Moon suffered an injury. At the event, Cross failed to capture the title. In a rematch which was contested in a three–way elimination match once again against both women, Riot was the first eliminated before the match ended in a no contest as Cross and Asuka brawled backstage. This led to a last woman standing match (the first ever in WWE history) between the two women for the NXT Women's Championship on the 28 June episode of NXT, in which Cross was once again defeated. On August 19, 2017 at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III, Cross accompanied and helped Sanity to capture the NXT Tag Team Championships from The Authors of Pain. On October 25, 2017, Cross earned herself a spot for the fatal four way match for the vacant NXT Women's Championship at NXT TakeOver: WarGames on November 18, 2017, which was ultimately won by Ember Moon. In early 2018, Cross began a little winning streak, defeating Lacey Evans and Vanessa Borne. During the 2018 Superstar Shake-up her fellow stable partners Eric Young, Alexander Wolfe and Killian Dain were drafted to SmackDown, leaving Cross on NXT to work again as a singles competitor. Throughout the summer, Cross started a feud with Shayna Baszler over the NXT Women's Championship, which led to a match between the two at NXT TakeOver: Chicago, in which Cross was once again unsuccessful and was defeated by technical submission. After a short hiatus, Cross returned in August and she was placed in the Aleister Black attack storyline where she was revealed to be a witness as she was on the roof of the building at the time he was attacked. In September, Cross also started a short feud with Bianca Belair which led to a match between the two that ended in a double count out. One month later, on 17 October episode of NXT, a rematch ended in a no contest, after Aleister Black returned and interrupted it to ask Cross who his attacker is. Johnny Gargano was eventually revealed as the attacker and her involvement in the storyline sparked a match between Cross and Gargano's wife Candice LeRae, whom she was able to defeat in a singles match at NXT TakeOver: WarGames. Cross wrestled her final match on the 9 January 2019 episode of NXT, where she lost to Bianca Belair, officially ending the feud between the two as well. Main roster and alliance with Alexa Bliss (2018–present) On the 6 November 2018 episode of SmackDown from Manchester, England, Cross made her surprise main roster debut by answering an open challenge from WWE SmackDown Women's Champion Becky Lynch, who defeated her in a non-title match. On December 17, 2018 episode of Raw, Cross was advertised as one of the six NXT wrestlers about to go to the main roster. On the January 14, 2019 episode of Raw, Cross made her Raw debut, teaming with Bayley and Natalya defeating Liv Morgan, Ruby Riott and Sarah Logan. At the Royal Rumble, Cross entered her first Royal Rumble match at number 8, lasting nine minutes before being eliminated by the IIconics (Billie Kay and Peyton Royce). On February 4, 2019 episode of Raw, Cross and Alicia Fox were defeated by Bayley and Sasha Banks in a match to determine the final Raw entrants in the tag team Elimination Chamber match to determine the first WWE Women's Tag Team Champions at the Elimination Chamber. Cross was confirmed to have been drafted on the Raw brand on May 8, 2019. Cross returned on May 13, 2019 episode of Raw in a backstage scene with Alexa Bliss this marked a change in her character, who appeared calmer. Cross replaced Bliss in a fatal 4 way match. Cross won in a fatal four way match defeating Natalya Dana Brooke and Naomi. Cross unsuccessfully took part in the Money in the Bank ladder match at Money in the Bank replacing Bliss who suffered an injury. Cross become Bliss's best friend and tag team partner on May 20, 2019 episode of Raw Cross, Bliss, and Lynch defeated Lacey Evans and the IIconics. On June 17, 2019 episode of Raw, Cross and Bliss faced the IIconics for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship (Cross' first Championship opportunity on the main roster), but were unsuccessful due to a distraction by Bayley, who was also in a feud with Bayley for the SmackDown Women's Championship. Cross, very upset by the loss, asked Bliss to be in her corner at Stomping Grounds, where Bliss would challenge Bayley for the title. Bliss was unsuccessful at the event; during the match, Cross still upset at Bayley tried to attack her which she subsequently believed to be the cause of Bliss's loss. Cross defeated Bayley on June 25, 2019 episode of Smackdown earning Bliss a match for the Smackdown Women’s Championship at Extreme Rules. Cross made the match at Extreme Rules a Handicap match for the Smackdown Women’s Championship where she teamed with Bliss in a losing effort. On August 5, 2019 episode of Raw, Cross and Bliss captured the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship, marking Cross's first championship in WWE. Cross and Bliss successfully defended their Championship against Billie Kay and Peyton Royce at Summerslam 2019 and on Raw against Asuka and Kairi Sane and defeating Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville at Clash of Champions 2019. Cross and Bliss lost the Women’s Tag Team Championship at Hell in a Cell to Asuka and Kairi Sane after Asuka used green mist on Cross, ending their reign at 62 days. Although drafted separately instead of as a team during the 2019 WWE Draft, Cross and Bliss remained on Raw, but the team was then traded to SmackDown. Cross made an immediate impact on the brand, winning a match to earn a future shot at the SmackDown Women's Championship. On the Nov 1 episode of SmackDown, Cross unsuccessfully challenged Bayley for the SmackDown Women's Championship due to interference from Sasha Banks. A week later on the Nov 8 episode of SmackDown, Cross lost to Banks via submission. Cross was announced to be on Team SmackDown at Survivor Series along with Banks, Carmella, Lacey Evans, and Dana Brooke. At Survivor Series, Cross was the first woman eliminated and Team SmackDown lost the match. On Nov 29, 2019 episode of SmackDown Bliss return and save Cross from an attack by Rose and Deville after Cross defeated Rose. Personal life On January 17, 2019, Glencross married her longtime boyfriend Killian Dain. Other media Cross made her video game debut in WWE 2K18 and appears in WWE 2K20. Championships and accomplishments * WWE ** WWE Women's Tag Team Championship (1 time) with Alexa Bliss Category:WWE Superstars Category:Current NXT Roster